1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device, a precursor composition, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device, an apparatus of manufacturing a liquid crystal device, and use of the liquid crystal device.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A liquid crystal display device (LCD) displays an image by aligning a liquid crystal compound and switching the alignment through application of a voltage. A method of manufacturing LCD is very expensive, and thus requires large production lines and facilities.
So-called polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs; the term “PDLCs” used in this specification are used as a so-called superordinate concept including polymer network liquid crystals (PNLCs) or polymer stabilized liquid crystals (PSLCs)) device, which is realized by dispersing liquid crystal compound in a polymer, has been known in the related art. The PDLCs may be manufactured in a simpler manner than in LCDs.
As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a liquid crystal compound is generally present in the PDLCs in an unaligned state. Therefore, the PDLCs remain opaque in a state in which a voltage is not applied to the PDLCs, a state of which is generally referred to as a so-called scattering mode. When a voltage is applied to the PDLCs, the liquid crystal compound is aligned accordingly. As a result, the PDLCs become transparent. Using this, it is possible to switch between the transparent mode (i.e., a white mode) and the scattering mode.